Former surf shop owner and accountant Alycia Edgar has just launched Business Performance HQ, a service for startups and small business owners in the Geelong and Surf Coast region.

In her five years of experience directing a thriving accounting practice, Edgar has heard countless business owners complain about wanting “more out of their accountant than someone who will crunch the numbers and fill in their tax returns.”

Business Performance HQ was created to fulfil this need, as business owners are increasingly seeking professional help from someone who not only understands their finances, but can also “guide them on growing their business and implementing systems that are going to improve their productivity and profit.”

Given numbers and systems are difficult to grasp for even some of the most established business owners, Edgar says her knowledge and expertise in the area will help people get the best out of their business.

“I get a lot out of demystifying it for them. The a-ha moments are priceless,” she says.

She adds that “productivity is the poor cousin of accounting” and business owners need to be proactive in this new financial year and learn strategies to maximise their productivity.

“Our clients find that when they get serious about productivity – and work with us to improve their work processes – their revenue and profit increases,” she says.

“It may sometimes just take a small tweak, but that can make a big difference. Sometimes, it’s takes someone from outside their own business to help identify where those small improvements can be made.”

The new financial year is the perfect time for business owners to renovate their accounting systems and strategies.

“It’s like a fresh start, and there’s no better time to start making changes in your business that the beginning of a new financial year,” she says.

“You can virtually start with a clean slate and create the systems that you really know will work for your business goals. Of course, there will be a transition period as you extract yourself from whatever you were doing before. But that’s often easier than you think and we can help with that.”

Business Performance HQ holds webinars, workshops and networking events for business owners to connect with others in the region through Bizz3228. Find out more on their website.